Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Investment Venture WndrCo Raises $591.5 Million
Jeffrey Katzenberg, after exiting DreamWorks Animation following Comcast’s acquisition of the studio, has raised nearly $600 million for his next act: a digital media and technology investment firm called WndrCo. (VAR)
Michelle Williams Joins Jonah Hill’s Directorial Debut
Michelle Williams is in negotiations to join Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid-90s. Hill wrote the coming-of-age tale and has won the chance to direct it for producer Scott Rudin and production company A24. (EMP)
Netflix Wins Bidding War For ‘Eggplant Emoji’ From Ben Stiller, ‘Workaholics’ Creators
Netflix has risen to the occasion to win a bidding war for The Eggplant Emoji, a spec by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider, the creators of digital animated series Gentlemen Lobsters. (THR)
Last Big Sundance Auction? 4 Bids For ‘Roxanne Roxanne’
There are four distributors vying for Roxanne Roxanne, the Michael Larnell-directed pic. The bidding is near $3 million for North American rights, with Amazon, Lionsgate, Miramax and Neon in the mix right now. (DH)
Bryan Cranston To Star in ‘Network’ Stage Adaptation
Bryan Cranston will be sitting at the news desk of Howard Beale in Ivo van Hove’s stage adaptation of the 1976 satirical classic, Network. (BW)
Paula Patton To Star In ABC Thriller ‘Somewhere Between’
Paula Patton will star in a summer drama series for ABC called Somewhere Between, which has a 10-episode straight-to-series order from the network. (TVG)
‘The Passage’ Pilot Greenlit
Fox has ordered a pilot for a TV series version of vampire tale The Passage from executive producer Ridley Scott. Writer Elizabeth Heldens is tackling the script. (EW)
Adam Scott/Craig Robinson Comedy ‘Ghosted’ Scares Up Pilot Order At Fox
The network has ordered a pilot for Ghosted, starring TV vets Adam Scott and Craig Robinson as a pair of L.A.-based ghost hunters. (TVL)
Amazon Acquires ISIS Documentary ‘City of Ghosts’ — Sundance 2017
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Matt Heineman’s film premiered last Saturday in Sundance’s U.S. Documentary Competition section. (IW)